Patients waiting for elective surgeries in St. Paul will be waiting a little longer as renovations take place at the St. Therese Healthcare Centre in St. Paul this summer.

The operating room in St. Paul is closed from July 19 to Aug. 26, according to Alberta Health Services.

“New ceiling lights are being installed in the main operating theatre, but because of the nature of the construction and for infection control reasons, both theatres in the operating room will remain closed until the work is complete,” said Kirsten Goruk, a senior communications officer with AHS.

Elective surgeries scheduled during that time have been rescheduled to September, she confirmed, adding, surgery numbers are usually lower during the summer months as staff take time for holidays.

In the mean time, the St. Paul hospital will work with neighbouring communities to ensure residents “continue to receive healthcare they need when they need it,” says Goruk.

“Patients who require urgent surgeries will be transferred to a nearby site during this time,” she says, adding, “The biggest ones are C-sections and appendectomies.”

Due to a number of staff taking holidays, the impact on staff has been minimal. Staff who aren’t on holidays have been relocated to other areas of the hospital, said Goruk.

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